Recalled Avenal councilmembers’ homes searched, phones confiscated in 'criminal’ probe
.JPG "Kings County DA and sheriff on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, served seven search warrants at Avenal City Hall, community center and homes of recalled officials amid an ongoing investigation.")
The Kings County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday searched the homes of the four recalled Avenal City Councilmembers: Mayor Alvaro Preciado and Councilmembers Leticia Gamez, Pablo Hernandez and David Reynosa.
Seven search warrants were served at two city properties and five private homes. The District Attorney’s Office said the search warrants were related to an ongoing investigation but would not disclose specifics.
“We are not going to comment on an ongoing investigation,” Pat McPherson, chief of the Bureau of Investigation for the DA’s Office told The Bee outside City Hall. “We want to stay neutral because it is a criminal investigation, and we don’t want to jeopardize the case in any way.”
Gamez was seen midmorning, leaving the Ken Brown Public Safety Center, which houses the Avenal Police Department and the ADH Ambulance. She would not talk to The Fresno Bee as she rushed to her vehicle.
At Preciado’s home, his son John Preciado said that his father was not home and that investigators had taken his father’s cell phone in the search, so he wouldn’t be able to communicate with anyone. John Preciado said his own computer and cell phone also were taken, as was his mother’s cell phone.
Besides the homes of the four recalled officials, Avenal City Hall, Avenal Community Center, and the home of City Manager Antony Lopez were searched by the DA with the help of the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.
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Lopez told The Fresno Bee he received legal advice to not comment. Hernandez and Reynosa couldn’t be reached Wednesday.
Several DA investigators stood outside City Hall while the search was underway inside. The city’s deputy clerk Karla Curiel was seen standing outside at the back of City Hall before she went back inside.
Many Avenal residents who stopped by City Hall wanting to pay their bills were turned away by DA investigators. A white paper was taped to the door letting people know the office would be closed until noon. Around 12:30 p.m., a DA investigator came out to change the time to 4 p.m. By 2 p.m., the search was done and the city posted a sign letting people know the building would be closed for the day.
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Avenal recall supporters said they were happy some action is being taken against city officials who have refused to leave office. The April recall election had more than 73% voter approval.
“I couldn’t believe it with my own eyes. In a way, I was happy and ecstatic that this was going on,” recall supporter Ginger Wallis said of the DA serving warrants to city officials.
The city has claimed it was an illegal recall process that has resulted in a long legal dispute between the city, recall organizers and Kings County.
Avenal is a small city about 60 miles south of Fresno and 35 miles southwest of Hanford. It is home to a state prison.
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Residents initiated the recall last summer, citing Council members’ perceived disrespect toward constituents, lack of transparency and accountability, and Brown Act violations.
Earlier this week, a court delay moved one of Avenal’s recall disputes to a July 14 hearing.
Last month, the DA’s Office notified Avenal officials in a letter to cease and desist from spending any public funds without legal authorization.
Proponents of the recall filed a quo warranto application earlier in June, which was approved by state Attorney General Rob Bonta on June 17. It cleared the path to file a lawsuit against the Preciado, Gamez, Hernandez and Reynosa.
In December, District Attorney Sarah Hacker sued the city of Avenal for alleged violations of California’s Brown Act.
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This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 4:07 PM.
